Power take-off for trail mowers



J'llly 15, 1952 G, P, SCHEER 2,603,050

POWER TAKE-OFF TRAIL MowERs Filed oct. '9, 194e 5 sheets-sheet 5 Im'eutor WWW/ey lfm@ Patented July 15, 1952 UN ITE'D* STATS 2,603,050

P'oWER'frAKEoF-F ronfraeinmownns" Gerhard Prscheer, WoodLake, Nebr.

Application october-9, 1946,*seria1 Nofioazco claims. (o1. srs-6) lThis invention relates toy improvements 1 in power take-oir mechanisms forA trail mowers.

An` object-of `the invention is=to Iprovidekan improved power' take-oirlmechani'srnattachable tof-a tractor -for operating Atrail lrnowers. Y

vmother#object ofthe invention Visto provide ani improved-power *take-Ufff mechanisme vfor at taching trail mowers to-a tractor Vfor efficiently operating the same, and more especially formale ing sharp turns -and permitting the operation :of the itrac'tor and trail 'mowers 1in restricted places.

r-A'furthereobje'ct of theinventionfis to provide anfimproved form f lof power 'take-oir for trail mowers-whereby the sickle 'bars .of said mowers will be independently operated through connections :with -the A.power yta'ke-oifon la tractor, fto.- getherfwith means `whereby the -re'ar :mower may pivotand turn iabout i-a xed point Ato :the rear oftheinner end of Vsaidfixed mower.

Al still further object -of `the --invention is 'to prov-ide y"an improved `power -take-oii'for .trail mowers-which will --be highly emcient .in opera-A tion,- and relativelyinexpensive tocmanufa'cture and produce.

`Otherv objects will'` appear las the description proeeedsf Y `In the --accompanyingv drawings -wliich form 1.a part of 'this'application' j Y Figure f1 is a planlviewfof :the :improved power take-off mechanism for-.trailfmowers showing the same attached to a tractor;

Figo-rc2 is an :enlarged .side 'elevation-of the gear'1box-1with drive :connections which is( dis.- posed 'betweentthe fixed mower and the :trail mower;A v

vFigure '.3 'is la :plan ivie'wwof: theimproved power take-off mechanism-for trail mowersshowingthe same :attached to a-Ytra'ctor, and with the trail mower turned in the position to execute a turn; y Figure 4 is an `enlargedfvertical sectional View taken-through the .gear box showing the gearing and driving connections supportedthereby;

Figure 5 isa side elevationiof theilxed mower showing it attached tothe rear axle or housing of a tractor and connectedwith the power `takeofl'therefrom, and

'Figure 6 :is fa side. elevation :0T2 azmodified-lorm or power take-off.. connection-which may be fused between two or morey mowers.

Like characters of reference are used throughout the following specica-tion` and the accompanying 'drawings' toc-"designate vcorresponding parts.

The attachment forming the subject of this invention is adapted for use with a tractor, the

rear. .portionlof which/fis' illustrated '.inFigure 3. and which tractor.; .'agziis conventional', has-:rear wheels andan axle housingZlconnected-fthel-i between.

A U-sliaped .attaching'izyoke-.Bf unsecured-:by means of ythe 1U -bolts 4 :about .the .axle "housingi of the tractor, andzsupportsfthe forwardl-endsiof the V-shaped frarneewhichfis securedathereto by the bolts 6. t

A ground engaging-guide .or tracking wheel 1- is .mounted iin. theV fork' fforfrotary :moyementfat the .rear or. apex :of the'lfran're ..5,1;w1'iich2 intiri supports the laterally extendingarms *iQ-whim? outer end-s support the iiXed cutter bar tye mower generally 4'izlesignated `.by ithereferentie inumeral I'0. i

Aligned bearingibrackets ill :andliliZ vare :dis--v posedon .top of and beneathkthe :frame lsfsaid bracket I l supporting. the vdrive .rshaft :t3 ofitle tractor 'power ytake-ofi."-which :supports :the ruhi- Versal coupling Lili lat itsl'freartend; and fanlarge pulley l5 'between the bracket :ill fandicoupling lli.. A -belt ri -is connected betweenfthef-.pullcy l5 v"and a .smaller ipulley'l 'l on .the stub I"shaft al supported bythe bracket .12..1 The pitman -frodzl is secured at its end tothe'pull'eyll ande-ataits outer end `with thescutte'r 'ba-r'ofthe 5lmowerill'l ioroperating the'same.'

Adraw bar 20 is secured at=itsforwardndito the frame 5 and extends rearwardlyM1 at'anangle thereto. The lrea-rfer'id of `said vdraw'v-barQO-'is apertured vat 2'I` `to 'receivefandf support v-tlffeffdc-l pending positioning jpign Iorflug 322 ',for rotation', the same beingr formed on'thebottor'n' of Vtllelwer portion 2,3 of the'rgearjbox. A Ulshaped bearing; channel 2'4 is formed aboutthe upper' periphery' ofthe portion 2 3 of the gear box andj'sup'polrls''Y the lower .end of theV cylindrical upperjporftion 25 of the gear b0X,'..th-e same. Lbengcloseg at its top as at. 26 `and ,providedwitha `thr aded opening 'l and removable 'threadedfclosurejplug' zawhereby the gear box .may be failed" with a' proper lubricant. -l *i Y. Opposed .bearings 20landw301are' form,

upper rportion. .25 of...th :gear ,box .and

the shaft .3l gwhich extendsf ytl(nigh.,one .Isidef thereof, beingsecured `to ,the universal .oouplfigl 32 .on-the l.drive shaft :SSQ -whse fort/"ar.d#i end-ifs attachedtofthe universalfcouplne 14' Y :Opposed-.loieariiflgs.v :Skandf ltagrgfQlmEd l lower orbottom portion r23 qoftfhe :gea KA., support the shaft 35 which extends rearwardly through the bottom portion 23 of the gear box vto connect with the universal coupling 31 on the 3 forward end of the drive shaft 38, whose purpose will be hereinafter described.

A rear draw bar 39 will be detachably secured to the bottom portion 23 of the gear box by means of the pin 40, said bar 39 together with the frame bar 4| forming a V-shape frame between which the axle 42 is mounted for supporting the rubber tired wheels 43 and 44. A plate 45 is mounted between the axle 42 and the rear connectingframe bar 46 disposed between the rear ends of said bars 39 and 4| to support the bearing 4l through which the shaft 48 extends. A universal coupling 49 connects the adjacent ends of the shafts 38 and 48, and a pulley 5U is mounted on the rear end of the shaft 48 to receive the belt l being operatively connected with a small pulley (not shown) and pitman rod 5| for operating the cutter bar of the trail mower generally designated by the reference numeral 52, which is suitably attached to rear frame.

Bevel gears 53 and 54 will be secured respectively on the shafts 3| and36 in the upper and lower portions of the gear box and will be respectively in mesh with the bevel gears 55 and 56 secured. upon the upper and lower ends of the vertical shaft 57, which will be supported in the bearings 58 and 59 secured to the inner walls of said upper and lower portions of the gear box, or in any other desired mann-er.

'A brace 80 will be disposed between the draw bar and the upper portions 25 of the gear box to hold said portion in fixed position while per mittingthe lower portion 23 to pivot on the pin 22.

In Figure 6 of the drawings there is illustrated a modified form of connection including a clevis connector 60 having a spring 6| about the shank thereof for attaching the draw bars 62 and 63 of forward and trailing mowers (not shown). An upstanding bracket 64 will be provided and will .support the bearing 95 through which the power take-off drive shaft 66 will extend. A universal coupling 61 will be connected between the shaft 66 and the forward end of the ad- Justable Adrive shaft 68 which will operate the trail mower (not shown).

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that there has been devised and provided a highly eiiicient form of power take-off mechanism for trail mowers.

While the preferred embodiment of the instant invention has been illustrated and described, it will ,beunderstood that it is not intended to limit the scope of the invention thereto, as many minor changes in detail of construction may be resorted to without departure from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In combination with a wheeled main frame having a power take-off unit, means for operatively coupling a plurality of mowers to the frame including a first frame coupled to the rear of the main frame, a mower carried thereby, a driving connection between the power take-off unit and the mower, a second frame associated with the rst frame, a mower supported thereby, a pair of connecting bars rigidly secured to the first and second frames, a sectional gear box adapted for connecting disposition between the bars, means for pivotally and swivelly securing one of the drawbars to the gear box, gears disposed in said box, drive shafts connected between the gears and the mowers and a drive shaft connected between the power take-off unit and the drive shafts.

2. In combination with a tractor having a power take-off connection and a plurality of machines operatively drafted thereby, a front machine supporting frame rigidly coupled to the rear section of the tractor, a machine carried by said frame, a first drawbar rigidly attached to said front frame, a rear machine supporting frame and a machine carried thereby, a second drawbar rigidly secured to said rear frame, means connecting said second drawbar to said first drawbar for horizontal pivotal movement relative thereto, drive means operatively connecting each of said machines to said power take-off of said tractor, said drive means including a gear box attached to said drawbars adjacent the pivotal connection thereof.

3. The combination of claim 2, wherein said gear box includes upper and lower relatively rotatable sections, each of said sections being nonrotatably attached to one of said drawbars, gears disposed in the box, drive shafts connected between said gears and said machines, and a drive shaft connected between the power take-oil and the drive shafts. l

e. In combination with a tractor having a power take-oit connection, a front frame rigidly coupled to the rear section of the tractor, a first drawbar rigidly attached to said front frame, a rear machine supporting frameand a machine carried thereby, a second drawbar rigidly attached to said rear frame, a hinge pin depending from said second drawbar and rotatably extending through said iirst drawbar to horizontally pivotally connect said rear frame to said front frame, a lower gear box attached to said second drawbar, an upper gear box horizontally rotatably mounted on said lower box axially of said pin, means non-rotatably attaching said upper gear box to said rst draft bar, shafts rotatably mounted in said upper and lower boxes and extending transversely thereof, means drivingly connecting said shafts, said shaft in said upper box being operatively connected to said power take-off of said tractor, said shaft in said lower box being operatively connected to said machine. v

5. The combination of ,claim 4, wherein said lower box has an annular upwardly opening recess therein, said upper box being rotatably received in said recess, said means for attaching said upper gear box to said rst drawbar retaining said upper box in said recess.

GERHARD P. SCHEER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,245,168 Wright Nov. 6, 1917 2,150,350 Vargas i- Mar. 14, 1939 2,296,518 Greer et al Sept. 22, 1942 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 504,496 Great Britain Apr. 26, 1939 

